No Pain

If you’re reading this, chances are, you’ve had a headache. Stress, food, genetics and even the weather can have an impact on your hurting head. The important thing is to figure out what could be triggering the headaches. Dr. Bushra I. Malik, medical director of St. Luke’s University Health Network’s Headache Center, says that while there are many kinds of headaches, the three main categories are tension, migraine and cluster headaches. Of those, cluster headaches are the most rare and are considered a neurological disorder.

Tension headaches – the most common type to afflict us – are usually caused by stress, mental or physical fatigue, foods, caffeine withdrawal or eye strain. M igraines, which affect about 12 percent of the population, can be triggered by a number of factors including stress, changes in weather, bright lights, altitude, strong perfume, some foods and medications. Family history and even gender – women are more likely to get migraines – can also play a role in a person’s likelihood to develop migraines.

“We look at the whole picture,” Malik says. “The underlying stressors, eating habits – there are certain foods that really make migraines worse.” Cheese, in particular, aged cheese, can make a headache worse. “I tell my patients they can have American, cottage or cream cheese,” Malik says. When treating a patient, she tries to figure out the things that trigger the headaches first. By process of elimination, when food, weather-related causes, stress and other factors are removed, if the patient still has the headaches, then medication may be used.

“About half of these patients have food, environment or stressors,” she says. “If they can find the trigger, treat that trigger and if none is found, then put them on preventative medication.” Natural therapies including biofeedback, physical therapy, exercises and massage are among the nondrug therapies to treat headaches. Magnesium and B2 vitamins can decrease the intensity of headaches and foods like lentils, green leafy vegetables and whole grains are packed with those vitamins and minerals. “Even if you have a good diet, sometimes having extra can help,” she says. Herbal remedies include the plants Feverfew and Butterbur, but Malik cautioned against using them unless you’ve talked with your doctor because of potential side effects.

Potential side effects of Feverfew include stomach upset, increased heart rate and possible interaction with anticoagulants. A potential side effect of eating the unprocessed, raw Butterbur plant is liver damage with longterm use, according to the nonprofit medical research group, The Migraine Trust. But the best way to prevent headaches is to eat a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep and drink enough water to stay hydrated – Malik recommends 64 ounces a day. “It may seem like a lot, but it’s doable,” she says.